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Blessings of the Righteous

• Lesson 5 for the week of January 24 to January 31

Biblical References: Proverbs 10-13 Leading Question: Do the “secular” proverbs make sense to believers and non-believers alike? Proverbs 10 introduces a new compilation, this one of Solomonic proverbs. Derek Kidner, in his Tyndale Old Testament...

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Divine Wisdom

• Lesson 4 for the week of January 17 to January 24

Biblical References: Proverbs 8-9 Leading Question: Proverbs celebrates wisdom. But can wisdom become dangerous? In popular thinking, education is often seen by ordinary people as something that puts faith at risk. But we should distinguish...

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A Matter of Life and Death

• Lesson 3 for the week of January 10 to January 17

Biblical References: Proverbs 6-7 Leading Question: When can we know that a duty is a matter of life and death?” Note: In Proverbs 7, “commands” are directly linked with warnings against adultery. In Proverbs, adultery...

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From Ears to Feet

• Lesson 2 for the week of January 3 to January 10

Biblical References: Proverbs 4-6 Leading Question: “Is doing right more important than giving God the credit? In the three chapters which are the focus of our study this week – Proverbs 4, 5, and 6...

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“The Call of Wisdom”

• Lesson 1 for the week of December 27 to January 3

Biblical References: Proverbs 1-3 Leading Question: “Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise” (Prov. 6:6). What does the Holy Spirit have to do with a proverb like that? The book...

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The Everlasting Gospel

• Lesson 13 for the week of December 20 to December 27

Synopsis: Escaping from James to Find the Gospel? The official study guide reveals, perhaps unintentionally, how powerful Luther’s argument against the book of James as been. Instead of dividing James into 13 sections, the editors...

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Prayer, Healing, and Restoration

• Lesson 12 for the week of December 13 to December 20

Synopsis: Restoration of the Sick and the Lost As James draws his book to a close, his final section deals with restoration, first of the sick (5:13-18) through the prayers of the righteous, then of...

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Getting Ready for the Harvest

• Lesson 11 for the week of December 6 to December 13

Synopsis: Patience and Swearing After firmly condemning the rich, James then turns to his readers/listeners and admonishes them to be patient. After nearly inciting them to riot by condemning the rich landowners (or so it...

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Weep and Howl!

• Lesson 10 for the week of November 29 to December 6

Synopsis: James 5:1-6 is the third frontal attack on the rich in the book, and this one the most brutal. Here the oppressive rich are the wealthy landowners who abuse their workers. In short, they...

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One Lawgiver and Judge

• Lesson 9 for the week of November 22 to November 29

Synopsis: Judging and Boasting This week’s passage from James actually brings together two items that don’t really mesh very well. A warning against the dangers of judging (4:11-12) is followed by a section which warns...

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The Humility of Heavenly Wisdom

• Lesson 8 for the week of November 15 to November 22

Synopsis: Yearning for the Good Wisdom from Above James gives us a wonderful description of heavenly wisdom in 3:17. But he gives us very little help in knowing how to acquire it. Exploring that practical...

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Taming the Tongue

• Lesson 7 for the week of November 8 to November 15

Synopsis: The Tongue In 1:26 James dropped a small bombshell against the unbridled tongue. Now in 3:1-12 he drops a large one, a blistering attack against the tongue. He does not really explain why this...

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Faith that Works

• Lesson 6 for the week of November 1 to November 8

Synopsis: Faith and Works, James and Paul The most highly visible passage in James involves the apparent tension between Paul and James on the question of faith and works. The most striking “contradiction” is between...

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Love and the Law

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 25 to November 1

Synopsis: Partiality and the Royal Law This week’s passage from James (2:1-13) presents an impassioned plea against favoritism. Showing partiality to the rich dishonors the poor (2:6). As one should come to expect in James,...

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